Full Circle

Norbert glanced at the calendar. Three years already? The corners of his lips twitched upwards. He would feign depression today, of course. He had to pretend he missed his aunt. She had pitied dull, vacant Norbert, and left him her money.

Norbert adjusted his bow tie so that it was just off center. It was important to maintain his facade of stupidity to avoid suspicion. Allergies are terrible, and accidents happen even if coffee doesn't usually contain peanuts. Something flickered at the edge of the mirror and he turned; nothing there. He shrugged and walked to the kitchen.

The kettle was boiling so he poured it over his tea bag. After a minute he took a sip. It was oddly bitter. Then he saw his aunt watching him with distaste. He dropped the mug, and hot liquid splashed across the floor. He collapsed, unable to breathe, as his throat swelled.